Running After Knee Mosaicplasty, OATS, and Meniscectomy

  I'm back! Yes, I did make it back to ultrarunning! I ran 45 miles in 7:43:29 at the Frosty Looper 8-hour race in Pennsauken NJ last Sunday. That was good enough for 17th place out of 120 finishers. To all who have supported me, encouraged me, treated me, and/or rehabbed me...THANKS! After 4.5 years, 2 knee surgeries, and over 1000 hours of physical therapy and rehab, I was able to get out there again...and not just to start and "give it a go"...but to run well and finish strong. The Race.  The race started at 8 AM on Sunday morning. It was in the low 50s and windy for most of the race with occasional drizzle. In the last hour it started raining a bit more steadily...but overall the conditions were better than could be expected for mid-December in NJ. My plan was to run 10:something minutes/mile for as long as I could. I knew I could hold that pace for 22 miles since I did it in my last long run. I also knew that I could probably go much further at that pace since my hea...

Just a brief update here...the long runs I've done for the past 3 weeks have covered 19, 22, and (today) 15 miles. I'm tapering a bit and hoping to toe the line for an 8-hour timed race in 2 weeks. My peak weak covered 46 miles total. I've continued with the 1-minute fast/1-minute slow intervals over the last 3 weeks with top speeds under 6:30/mile. I'm far less trained than I've been for any ultramarathon (and less trained than for all but one of my marathons), but I think I have the fitness to give it a try and hope for a middle-of-the-pack or better finish. I'm shooting to cover over 40 miles. I still have some doubts about making it to the start line. My surgically repaired right knee is aching a bit. In addition my left knee has become sore. It's a bit stressful at work right now (and preparing for the holidays) and there are lots of "bugs" going around. If I can get through these two weeks and get to the line...that would be quite a triumph. ...